fans

One great marketing tool that the NHL has is the NHL video game series produced by EA sports. The popular game series can be a gold mine for new fans, or a means of enhancing current fans’ relationships and experiences with the NHL. According to the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), 155 million Americans play video games, 4 out of 5 U.S. households own a device to play video games, and 42% of Americans play video games regularly. That is a pretty large market of video game users that the EA NHL series has a chance to reach. People may buy/play the NHL video game, for the sole reason that they like to play video games. This allows the NHL to partner with EA sports to use the game as marketing tool to reach new audiences and gain new fans. Someone who just plays the game because they like they game will at least gain exposure to the sport and the league, and has the potential to become a new fan of the NHL. This is extremely beneficial for the NHL. In regards to current fans, they can feel a stronger connection to the league and their favorite teams, by actually getting to use their favorite teams and players in the game. A lot of research has been done on relationships to video games are, and many findings show that video game players can feel a bond to the avatars they are using in the game. Overall, EA sports NHL video game series is a great marketing tool for the NHL.